Terps Abroad Profiles

"Studying abroad is an experience you will never forget, one that is unique to you and how you decide to live it. It's learning outside the classroom, where class is probably the only normal thing you experience on a regular basis."

"My teachers treated me like old friends, my host family treated me like family, and I made friends that I still connect with and would love to see in the future."

Don't be afraid to branch out. At Maryland, you know where people similar to yourself tend to hang out so many people surround themselves with like-minded individuals. That absolutely wasn't the case for me in Hong Kong so I ended up spending time with people I had little to nothing in common with other than we liked to explore and have fun.

"It is financially feasible, sometimes the same cost or cheaper than what it would be at home. It's NOT limited to people of a certain income, background, or academic majors."

"I think [studying] abroad gives you the opportunity to experience your own identities in different ways, which can be both a good thing and also very challenging. You take your identities with you, but now the cultural context is different."

"From our visits to four institutions in Ghana as well as working alongside our partners at the University of Cape Coast, I learned what it means to mold systems that are unique to any given cultural context. I learned that it is important to have multiple perspectives and be able to see through different lenses in order to truly be a global practitioner."

"Go somewhere. Go anywhere. I am a firm believer that people should take any chance to stretch their mind and expand their worldview during our college careers and our lives in general . When I went to study abroad in a foreign country, I quickly shifted out of my comfortable life in College Park, for the first time, and took on the role of an active visitor, learner, and traveler."

"When you arrive, put yourself in situations where it will be easy to meet people. I was lucky to end up living in a hall that has specific meal times, so I was able to meet people there. If you live in a flat or apartment, go to club meetings or events with other exchange students."

"As I traveled the world, I began to realize how overwhelmingly little I actually knew about the rest of the world and all of this incoming information was helping to provide me with added perspective and has thusly made me more well-rounded."

"Everyone's study abroad experience is different, even if you go to the same location, so don't worry about what others are doing. Just enjoy your unique abroad experience and do what makes you happy."